E70 Key Fob Programming Issue?
 

Hi everyone! I'm an E53 X5 owner but my sister just bought a beautiful, loaded E70 from our local BMW Dealership. They provided one key and ordered another. They overnighted it to us and we received it today. Upon trying the new key, the buttons on the fob worked and when I manually inserted the fob into the slot, it worked and the car started when I pushed the start/stop button. However, her E70 has Comfort Access, and NONE of those features worked with this remote. Any ideas?!?

Did you again try the remote function after this brief introduction of the key and car?

In VW the two functions are quite separate, the start function immobilizer is passive and the remote is an active transmitter.

Does the replacement remote have a replaceable battery? The CA system can also only support two remotes, so was the missing remote removed?

Yes, I did check and the new key is definitely an original CA key with the battery compartment. They other key was missing when the vehicle was traded in, so they ordered a new key. So, if the CA system can only support two keys what is the next step for getting this key to work with the CA system? I've heard rumor that the entire system can be reset, basically removing the original missing key from the system. I've also read that disconnecting the vehicle's battery for ten minutes or so resets the system. I have an idea that is just too simple and won't work.

I would not disconnect the battery, people have replaced a battery before and caused the IBS to fail. That is $200 or $300 I believe and BMW could refuse to warranty it.

Try putting the remote in the slot located in the glove box and start the vehicle unless your E70 has it where it is on the steering column. Anyway, there is a place where you hold or put the remote for when the battery in it is dead. Try using the remote that way for the first time and see if that gets it programmed.

Agreed. The battery disconnect just seemed like a bad idea to me. Her slot is on the dash, next to the steering column (like below), would there be a slot in the glovebox with this configuration? Oh, it my be helpful to share her year with you all, its a 2012.


http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k6...ps7jv2vwn3.png

You may need to activate the key. Since you bought the car from a dealer, bring it back and tell them your problem. I just went through the same thing, and each key has a numerical value 1-10 in the internal software of the car. On mine, the new key was No. 4, and that was deactivated. It worked, but no comfort access. I activated the key with an Autologic, but certainly any dealer could do this. Works fine now.

Wrong, that slot has nothing, nada, zilch, zero, zip, nought, nil, squat to do with comfort access. Look in the glove box as I already stated or wherever the slot is. If you don't understand this, go to the dealer.

The slot is like this:
http://www.xoutpost.com/attachments/...n-img_5442.jpg

E70(and the others Exx models) can have only 2 CA keys active at a time. Probably first 2 original keys were CA and the spare key you received is 3rd, therefore it cannot be accepted as CA by the car. You have to talk to the dealer and see if they can rectify the situation or nothing can be changed at this time.
P.S. Sorry, I didnt see Ianbrown already wrote that.

i didn't know what that was for. Thanks! :thumbup:

Tried the glovebox slot, nothing at all. I'm going to head to the dealership and have them rectify it.

This ABSOLUTELY can be addressed. You just need a dealer level computer to first see what key number the new key is, make sure it's activated, and that the two keys you have are the only two keys active. With an Autologic, it's pretty simple. But since the OP just bought the car from a dealer, it would make sense that they might do this programming without charge. It will take at most 10 minutes. I just went through this exact situation with my E70. The one key that came with the car, and the new one I had to order, now both work perfectly with comfort access.

I found the glovebox gadget - that I hadn't noticed before - and I have three keys from the dealer. Their explanation was that one of the keys was missing and replaced, then the missing key was found. All three were turned over.

It can be rectified before the key has been introduced to the car. Highly doubt it could be rectified now by dealer techs with a dealer level equipment. The problem is that the first time you put a new key in the slot it registers in the car (CAS). If there is an empty position for CA (0 or 1 registered already), it will register as CA. If both positions for CA keys are already taken the key may not register and will wait for a manual input. In rare cases CA key will register as a regular key. With my equipment I can change the status and position of the key, but I am pretty sure this cause will be lost at the dealer.
You cannot change the status of already registered key with autologic too. It has no authorisation to read or change the CAS eeprom. Autologic has had a great abilities a few years ago, but after many lawsuits and dropping many brands they dont do "backdoor access" anymore.

I bought my E70 about a month ago. It came with only one key. The new key I got from BMW did not work with comfort access. I WAS able to disable all keys not in my possession, activate the new key, and now both work with CA. I just did this with an Autologic, so I know this is possible. I don't know where you get your info on what you can and can not do with the Autologic. It gives you complete control over activating or deactivating each of the 10 key positions. The new key came up as No. 4, and my exiting key was No. 3. It was the same for my E53 and E39, but no CA there. It's always a good idea to deactivate any keys you no longer possess just for security purposes.

I have a few customer shops with Autologic and when they cannot do a job they call me. It is a very good tool, but not the end-of-it-all solution, and sometimes has a very stupid and nonsense limitations. As a matter of fact there is a very little Autologic(or ISTA for that matter) can do over Winkfp,Tool32 and INPA. Anyhow, disable and enable keys is completely different from changing the status of a key from normal to CA.
It will be interesting if OP reports the end result.

It would seem from what I just went though that as long as the old lost key was disabled, CA became active on the one remaining old key and the new one as well. My new key worked to open the door with the button, and started the car when I got it from BMW...just no CA until I disabled all keys not in my possession. I did not look to disable a particular key, I disabled every key position I did not have.

Yup, things are sometimes more simple then they look like. What happened to me was probably a fluke.